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Guidelines to Healthful Eating
Healthful eating is introduced The Five Food Groups
1.	Breads and Cereals

-	good source of carbohydrate, provide B vitamins and vegetable protein
-	whole grain products are good sources of dietary fibre
-	provide energy

2.	Vegetables (all fresh, frozen, canned vegetables)

-	good source of vitamins A, B ,C etc, minerals and dietary fibre
-	vegetables are low in fat
-	prevents cancer

3.	Fruits (all fresh, canned fruits and fruit juices)

-	good source of carbohydrates, vitamins A, B ,C etc., minerals and dietary fibre
-	fruits are low in fat (except coconut and avocado)

4.	Meats, Beans and Bean Products
	(beef, pork, lamb, poultry, fish, egg, dried beans, tofu etc.)

-	both meats and beans are good sources of protein, iron and B vitamins, therefore, beans can substitute meats nutritionally
-	meat products contain cholesterol but beans do not,beans also contain less fat than meats
-	function as building blocks of tissues ; manufacture and repair cells

5.	Milk & Dairy Products
	(fresh milk, powdered milk, UHT packaged milk, yogurt, skimmed milk, cheese etc.)

-	good source of protein, calcium, phosphorus and B vitamins, also provide carbohydrate and fat
-	best to choose low fat or non fat products
-	maintain healthy teeth and bones

Each food group provides unique nutrients and serves different functions in the body. To achieve nutritional balance, one must eat a variety of foods. A diet which is limited to a few foods will lead to nutritional deficiency. Typical Hong Kong Chinese Eating Habit Is Not Desirable
1.	Meats as main food item at meals, but very little rice.
2.	Use too much oil in cooking e.g. pan-frying, deep fat frying, and use lots of seasoning.
3.	Frequently eat junk food, desserts, soft drinks, instant noodles, and preserved foods like luncheon meat, ham, sausage.
4.	Eat little vegetables, fruits and milk products.
5.	Eat and work at the same time, and eat out often.

The Proper Way of Eating Is As Follows:


Other countries (like USA, UK and Australia) also use the food pyramid to promote healthful eating. The pyramid consists of four levels. Each food group has its own area and the size of each is different. Total food intake should be proportional to the area each group occupies in the pyramid. For example, the fats, salt and sugar group is on the top of the pyramid, and occupies the smallest area. Therefore, they should be used sparingly. On the other hand, the breads and cereals group is at the bottom and occupies the largest area. Therefore, these foods should be the foundation of our diets. Carbohydrates should provide 60 - 70 % of total energy intake in an athlete's diet. In order to reach this recommendation, athletes must eat more bread and cereal products, fruits, milk and root vegetables like potatoes, carrots, corns etc. No single food provides all the nutrients needed and no food is bsolutely not allowed either. However, there are foods which are better choices and some which are less desirable. Food Choices Recommendation The following chart provides recommendation on food choices.
Breads and Cereals
	Better Choices : rice, noodles, breads, oatmeal, congee,breakfast cereals, biscuits, whole wheat bread, steamed buns etc. Eat Less Often : Instant noodles, yee mein, cookies, fried donuts, croissant, French toast, Chinese sweet buns with filling, etc

Vegetables
	Better Choices : all fresh vegetables Eat Less Often : potato chips, French fries, salted and preserved vegetables

Fruits
	Better Choices : all fresh fruits Eat Less Often : coconut milk, avocados; sweetened and preserved fruits

Meats, Beans and Bean Products
	Better Choices : all fresh or frozen lean meats: chicken, pork, beef, lamb, fish beans : red/mung beans, lima beans, kidney beans, lentils, soybeans etc.; tofu, dehydrated bean curd Eat Less Often : fatty meats, poultry skin, preserved meats like corned beef, luncheon meat, beef jerky, salted preserved fish, sausage, Chinese BBQ meats Note : Eat no more than 3 egg yolks per week, but egg white is not included in this limit.

Milk and Dairy Products
	Better Choices : low fat/skimmed milk, low fat evaporated milk, yogurt, low fat cheese Eat Less Often : full cream milk, regular evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk, cheese, ice cream Note : Regular soybean milk contains little calcium, therefore, it cannot be used to substitute milk. If you have lactose intolerance (symptoms include stomachache and diarrhoea after drinking milk), you may eat other calcium-rich foods like: bones of canned fish, fresh tofu, small fish where bones may also be eaten, seafood (shrimp, oysters, scallops, sea cucumber), Chinese kale, broccoli, pak choi. Nutritional value of fresh milk, UHT packaged milk and powdered milk are similar.

Follow these Eating Guidelines for Good Health

	1. Eat a variety of foods. 2. Maintain a healthy body weight. 3. Eat more fruits, vegetables and cereal products. 4. Reduce your use of salted, preserved or sugary foods. 5. If you drink alcohol, do so moderately. 6. Drink enough fluids daily.
	Note from: www.eatwell.com.hk